Anyone know the occasion Sugu is played for?

[jeffduyndam]

Hey Everyone,

I learned Sugu from Abdoul Doumbia at one of the Tambacounda West African dance camps I attended in California. Also, I learned another version from Moussa Traore in San Diego. I have the notation for the rhythm and cassette recordings of the classes, but I'm not sure why it it played. It is such a cool rhythm and fun to play! I know it is from Mali and there is a region and people named Sougou in Mali. I have heard it is related to doundoumba.

If you have more information on Sugu I would appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks in advance,

Jeff Duyndam

[bubudi]

sugu (or suku) is a maninka rhythm traditionally played for circumcisions. it has the same structure as the rhythm known in guinea as soli, including the solo phrases. however, soli means circumcision and malians are adamant that they do not call rhythms by names such as 'circumcision', 'marriage', 'birth', 'funeral', etc. in bamako they play sugu together with another rhythm called farabakan which comes from the village of faraba in the sikasso region of mali and is also traditionally played in circumcisions. farabakan is a women's dance.

there are 30 ethnic groups in mali, but none of them are called sougou. the region which you are referring to in mali is segou, not sugu. there is a small village called sougou in the east of mali where the samoya people live, but this has no relation to the rhythm sugu. also, the rhythm dunungbe is said to have evolved from sugu/soli, but they are very distinct genres which are played in different occasions.

[Onetreedrums]

Sugu/Sougou is also called Donba (big dance in Bamanakan), Fura/Foura (medicine in Bamanakan), and also Soli (in Malinke). It is from the Maraka people. Abdoul and other teachers have said it is traditionally played after boys initiation/circumcision. Sugu is not named after a village/city/region by the same name. However, the old capital of Mali is Segu/Segou.

[jeffduyndam]

Nate and bubudi, thanks for the quick reply

It's crazy, I have learned so many different rhythms, I would say too many.

A friend of mine who has traveled around several countries in Africa, going to remote villiages, told me some amazing Afican drummers he met only played 4 or 5 rhythms. But they knew those 4 or 5 rhythms inside and out and could play many parts inside those rhythms with amazing skill. And they knew lots of variations.

Very cool to learn Sugu is another version/way of playing of Soli/Donba/Fura, it's from the Maraka people, and that it is played with farabakan.

thanks again,

Jeff Duyndam

[bubudi]

fura is indeed played during the furasi (bambara word for circumcisions), but i learned it as a rhythm distinct from sugu, and quite similar to soli lent from guinea. according to sega sidibe, sugu is a maninka rhythm. some will say it came from kayes (where you have a mixture of khassonke, maraka and maninka people).

[Dugafola]

suku=soli=domba=sugu

i've never heard fura played in a ternary style. all version i've heard of fura are binary and similar to soli lent/balukulandjan.

also, farabakan is a tribute to Madou "faraba" Sylla from Faraba. he was a djembe player in the national ballet of Mali. They play it to honor him.

sugu (or suku) is a maninka rhythm traditionally played for circumcisions. it has the same structure as the rhythm known in guinea as soli, including the solo phrases. however, soli means circumcision and malians are adamant that they do not call rhythms by names such as 'circumcision', 'marriage', 'birth', 'funeral', etc. in bamako they play sugu together with another rhythm called farabakan which comes from the village of faraba in the sikasso region of mali and is also traditionally played in circumcisions. farabakan is a women's dance.

there are 30 ethnic groups in mali, but none of them are called sougou. the region which you are referring to in mali is segou, not sugu. there is a small village called sougou in the east of mali where the samoya people live, but this has no relation to the rhythm sugu. also, the rhythm dunungbe is said to have evolved from sugu/soli, but they are very distinct genres which are played in different occasions.

[bubudi]

also, farabakan is a tribute to Madou "faraba" Sylla from Faraba. he was a djembe player in the national ballet of Mali. They play it to honor him.

mamadou sylla brought the rhythm to bamako, but it originated before that in the village of faraba in the sikasso region of mali.

madou was definitely very influential in modern malian djembe music. he was a soloist in the ballet national du mali from the early 60s to the mid 90s, touring touring europe, asia, the americas and africa. he appears on the cd 'kara bara' (hard work) by sinaly papus diabate. you can hear his solo for komo foli on track 3. i highly recommend this cd. it's available on cd baby.

[bops]

madou was definitely very influential in modern malian djembe music. he was a soloist in the ballet national du mali from the early 60s to the mid 90s, touring touring europe, asia, the americas and africa. he appears on the cd 'kara bara' (hard work) by sinaly papus diabate. you can hear his solo for komo foli on track 3. i highly recommend this cd. it's available on cd baby.

I found it on emusic.com - downloading right now... thanks for the tip.

[e2c]

Ditto!

madou was definitely very influential in modern malian djembe music. he was a soloist in the ballet national du mali from the early 60s to the mid 90s, touring touring europe, asia, the americas and africa. he appears on the cd 'kara bara' (hard work) by sinaly papus diabate. you can hear his solo for komo foli on track 3. i highly recommend this cd. it's available on cd baby.

I found it on emusic.com - downloading right now... thanks for the tip.

[johnc]

A friend of mine who has traveled around several countries in Africa, going to remote villiages, told me some amazing Afican drummers he met only played 4 or 5 rhythms. But they knew those 4 or 5 rhythms inside and out and could play many parts inside those rhythms with amazing skill. And they knew lots of variations.

Jeff Duyndam

thats cool less is more

[bubudi]

here's the cover/tracklist of the album:


1 Maraca Foly
2 Kara Bara/Koukouba
3 Komo Foly
4 Bondialan
5 Tama Nioro Sonfo
6 Djikagni Djeli
7 Didadi
8 Yelésé
9 Yiriba ye

[e2c]

^^^I love the use of ntama with djembe and dununs! They create a lovely contrast/counterpoint to the other drums. (Wish Guinean music had something similar.) And track 5 has some outstanding singing.

Thanks so much for the tip on this album, b. I've got to get a physical copy of my own now...

[bubudi]

cdbaby is a good place for a physical copy. i've found their service to be very good too.

i also love the use of ntama, rich deep vocals and also bala and strings. nearly every one of soungalo coulibaly's releases are good for that, and also the djidunun (water drum). 'dengo' is a favourite of mine.

the ntama players on sinaly papus' disc are madou drame and another guy only known as 'diabate' who also plays djembe accompaniment in some of the tracks.

[bops]

Yeah, that's a sweet album. Listened to it this weekend. Very nice ensemble. Tansole, Didadi, Madan, Sandia, etc...

[James]

Can contribute a little to this now. I found this thread while trying to figure this out...

I was playing at a circumcision in Bamako and I though we were playing Moriboyassa, but perhaps it was sugu.

It had the same sangban (also as Fura on the the Art of Jenbe disc 2). Bops knows what I'm talking about.

Anyway, Moriboyassa seems to be the same rhythm with a completely different purpose then?